Getting to Know the Authors: Featuring Farah Oomerghoy!

Bio:

   For Farah Oomerbhoy, writing is a passion and reading her solace. She is a firm believer in the fantastic and magical, and often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest.
  Farah lives with her husband and three children in their family home in Mumbai, India. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Mumbai. Her first novel, The Last of the Firedrakes, Book 1 of the Avalonia Chronicles will be published worldwide August 15th, 2015. Find her online at:
Website: http://farahoomerbhoy.com/, \Twitter: https://twitter.com/FarahOomerbhoy,
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FarahOomerbhoyAuthor
and Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/FarahOomerbhoy/

What has she written?

She has written:

The Last of the Firedrakes (The Avalonia Chronicles, #1) by Farah Oomerbhoy

 Synopsis:

    16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.
    Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.
    With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.

Now on to the Interview!   

1) How old were you when you started writing?

I must have been in the sixth grade when I started writing poems. They were really quite bad  I then tried writing fiction, but I would never finish anything because of schoolwork. It was only after I finished my Master’s that I started creating Avalonia, and finished my first book.

2) What do you want a reader to gain from reading your works?

My main aim is to tell a good story. To make the reader feel involved in the world and identify with the characters. At the same time I want my readers to feel like something about the story helps them to deal with other difficult situations in life. 

Nothing is impossible, and it is ultimately your choices in life, strength of character, and courage in the face of adversity, that will determine who you truly are. I think Uncle Gabriel expresses this very well in the book, when he tells Aurora: “When difficulties come, we must see them as what they are—opportunities and a new path to discover your potential. How will you ever know the magnitude of courage that you are capable of, if you have never experienced the hopelessness of fear?”

3) What are your three top suggestions on becoming an author, or being a pleasure writer?

Keep writing, even if it’s only a paragraph a day. It’s exercise for your brain.

Keep a journal or notepad handy at all times. Sometimes ideas come to you and if you don’t write them down they can disappear.

Pay attention to grammar rules. Even if you are going to have your story edited, it’s important to structure your sentences correctly so your ideas are as clear as possible.

4) What is your favorite novel, why?

I would have to say The Magic Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton, and The Chronicles of Narnia series are my favorites. As they are the first two fantasy series I read as a child, and were both instrumental in starting my love for creating magical worlds.

5) Who is your favorite author, why?

C. S. Lewis is my favorite. The world of Narnia is such a wonderful creation. What is so amazing about Narnia is that it is so complex in its simplicity. There are many layers to the story of Narnia, complex issues and ideas that lay beneath the surface if you know where to look.

6) What are your favorite pass times besides writing?

Haha :) That would be reading!

7) Who in your life do you credit your imagination to the most?

I would have to say my husband. He has a great sense of humor and sometimes says the most outrageous things, which gets me thinking; what if?

8) What are the top five things on your bucket list?

See the Seven Wonders of the World. (So far I’ve seen four.)

Ride in a hot air balloon.

Go night diving.

Learn to ski.

Go back to college and earn a PHD.

9) What is your funniest childhood memory?

Listening to my father telling my brother and me stories about his childhood.

10) To the youth of today, if you could tell them one thing, what would it be?

Listen to your parents; they have been through this before. Chances are they have a pretty good idea what they are talking about.